Transcript Internet Searching

Tooling Up for Internet
Searching
R Philip Reynolds
Ralph W. Steen Library
2000
Misconceptions About Internet
Research
Everything is online
 It’s all free
 You just get on the net type in a phrase
and pull it out
 It’s all there for the taking

The Genesis of a Search:
Task Definition
One of the main reasons for failing to
find an answer to an information need is
poor task definition. (Marchioni)
 Write down your question
 Write the title to the perfect article
 Decide what type of format and time
frame you need your information in

Information Toolbox: Picking
the Right Tool
Know which tools you have access to
(LibWeb Steen Library)
 Know the characteristics of these tools
(use the right tool for the job)
 Know what you are searching (know
what your search tool covers)
 Learn to use these tools effectively
(practice)

Web Directories (Pros)
Collection of sites organized by subject
 Site filtered by an expert
 Summaries of Content
 Filtered for content

Web Directories (Cons)
Not full text
 Not Comprehensive
 Not current
 Filtered for content

Search Engines (Pros)
Full text searching
 Statistically ranked results
 Continually updated
 Unfiltered
 Wide range of sources
 Boolean operators (logical Operators)
AND, OR, NOT, (),” ”

Search Engines (Cons)
Resources disorganized
 Often 3 months or more behind
 50% to 70% of accessible web sites not
indexed
 Searches only keyword not subjects,
ideas, or concepts

Hidden Internet
The hidden internet includes information
not usually indexed by search engines
 Databases
 Proprietary Sites
 Newsgroups & Listservs
 Current information
 Robots Text

Pick The Right Tool for the
Right Job
Different Information tools have different
strengths and weaknesses
 Know what you are searching and what
your tool can and can not do
 Many times the Internet is not the right
tool

The three P’s of Learning
Internet Searching
Pick three or four search tools that are
related to what you do
 Print out and read the help screens
 Practice using these tools
